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Now that the Lions' initial 53-man roster is set and the season-opener against the Minnesota Vikings is a week away, it's time to look back at the position battles the Lions had entering training camp to see how and why they shook out:

■ Right cornerback: Rookie second-round pick Darius Slay won the job, and it wasn't all that close. Slay has long arms and closing speed, and he showed consistent improvement after missing part of the spring following minor knee surgery. Ronald Bartell took most of the first-team reps early, but the Lions felt comfortable enough with Slay that they cut ...